The Deegan Bike Claim Story - Part 1, 2, and 3 | UPDATE: Brennan's Sponsor Responds | Schofield, Cotter, Burkeen, Deegan, Luce, and Walker

8/16/2022 3:05pm Edited Date/Time 8/16/2022 3:09pm
mxjeff575 wrote:
Apologies if this is known (too much info spinning in my head), but who got Donnie Luce (Yamaha employee, correct?) involved? Did Deegan text/call him or...
Apologies if this is known (too much info spinning in my head), but who got Donnie Luce (Yamaha employee, correct?) involved? Did Deegan text/call him or someone else with Star? So then Donnie now calls Walker and says get back to the track, we have a situation (to squash, lol). What didn't pass the smell test for me in Donnie's segment on Pulp, was after Donnie asked Brennen why he wanted to claim the bike and then tried to explain the pros and cons of going through with it, he then wanted to discuss what issues Brennen had been having and try to understand what parts he was having issues with. That just seems like such BS - "oh, after the quick 30 second conversation to understand why he wanted to make the claim, I then, wanted to dive into any of the technical issues he might have been having with his current engines".
Per Donnie's interview, Deegan contacted Donnie to notify him a claim had been made on the bike. Donnie asked for details on who claimed the bike, which Deegan provided. Donnie decided to obtain more information from Matt Walker.

It's unclear why Donnie decided to try and get more details from Matt Walker, or what his intentions were once he obtained that info.

What we do know is that once Donnie and Brennan met eachother, two motors were offered, and a trip to ride a factory Yamaha was floated as a possibility. It sounds like Donnie later walked back the "ride a factory bike" thing, as that might have been beyond his power/control at Star (he made mention that perhaps he over-stepped on getting Brennan a ride on a Star bike)
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peelout
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8/16/2022 3:09pm
not going to dig thorugh 13 pages but......

Donnie Luce and Matt Walker had NO FUCKING BUSINESS getting involved in this. in my opinion that's where everything is fucked up. having a minor in the AMA office is one thing, cornering Brennan in Walker's pit is fucked on so many levels.

after listening to Donnie's interview, his involvement is when the fireworks started. i have an incredibly hard time believing that him and Walker didn't call Brennan and tell them to come over to Walker's pit. Donnie and Matt 100% instigated whatever bullshit went on there.
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JWW85
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8/16/2022 3:17pm
This is ordeal has only affirmed my impressions of several of these parties. But, the more I think about it, is anyone going to interview Brennan's dad? Or did I miss it somewhere in here?
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8/16/2022 3:18pm
Brennen Schofield did not kill himself!
Good thing the Clintons don't race, be a lot of suicides.
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The Shop

DonM
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8/16/2022 3:21pm
JWW85 wrote:
This is ordeal has only affirmed my impressions of several of these parties. But, the more I think about it, is anyone going to interview Brennan's...
This is ordeal has only affirmed my impressions of several of these parties. But, the more I think about it, is anyone going to interview Brennan's dad? Or did I miss it somewhere in here?
Thank you! I have been asking about the dad from the very beginning and his lack of involvement until the very end…
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aeffertz
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8/16/2022 3:24pm Edited Date/Time 8/16/2022 3:28pm
JWW85 wrote:
This is ordeal has only affirmed my impressions of several of these parties. But, the more I think about it, is anyone going to interview Brennan's...
This is ordeal has only affirmed my impressions of several of these parties. But, the more I think about it, is anyone going to interview Brennan's dad? Or did I miss it somewhere in here?
DonM wrote:
Thank you! I have been asking about the dad from the very beginning and his lack of involvement until the very end…
It’s been addressed multiple times. He wasn’t back at their rig (he was getting water and Brennan’s mom was still at the track watch a friend race) when Brennan thought he needed to leave to make it to the office in time to make the claim. That’s how Harris got involved, he was there debriefing with Brennan and had a cart to give Brennan a ride up to the office trailer. That’s where the first weird/unnecessary interactions happened. The dad was present with the second interaction with Walker, Luce and the dealer.

Though it would be good to hear from him to see if he’ll say what the dealer told him in their private conversation. Perhaps that is one of the extra guests hinted at in part 3 of this.
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280driver
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8/16/2022 3:27pm
aeffertz wrote:
I think it was a bit slimy of Luce to tell Brennan about ways he could make it up to him just to go on record...
I think it was a bit slimy of Luce to tell Brennan about ways he could make it up to him just to go on record with ML and say he made some promises he couldn’t or shouldn’t have made or could actually stand by when they were discussing all the reasons why that bike would be a paper weight come service time.

How good is his word when he just admitted that he said things that he couldn’t necessarily come through with?
Pretty clear based on the interviews that at a minimum 1) His sponsor said they’d drop him 2) Walker said he’d no longer train him and 3) Luce said he’d give him crate engines. This is coercion and quid pro quo bull crap.
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JWW85
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8/16/2022 3:31pm
JWW85 wrote:
This is ordeal has only affirmed my impressions of several of these parties. But, the more I think about it, is anyone going to interview Brennan's...
This is ordeal has only affirmed my impressions of several of these parties. But, the more I think about it, is anyone going to interview Brennan's dad? Or did I miss it somewhere in here?
DonM wrote:
Thank you! I have been asking about the dad from the very beginning and his lack of involvement until the very end…
aeffertz wrote:
It’s been addressed multiple times. He wasn’t back at their rig (he was getting water and Brennan’s mom was still at the track watch a friend...
It’s been addressed multiple times. He wasn’t back at their rig (he was getting water and Brennan’s mom was still at the track watch a friend race) when Brennan thought he needed to leave to make it to the office in time to make the claim. That’s how Harris got involved, he was there debriefing with Brennan and had a cart to give Brennan a ride up to the office trailer. That’s where the first weird/unnecessary interactions happened. The dad was present with the second interaction with Walker, Luce and the dealer.

Though it would be good to hear from him to see if he’ll say what the dealer told him in their private conversation. Perhaps that is one of the extra guests hinted at in part 3 of this.
Yeah, sorry, I was thinking just that; specifically, what was said in that private conversation? My stance is, if it was my kid, he was well within his right and the rule, its what he wanted/was committed to, so I'm 100% all-in and we're leaving with that bike.
speedman
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8/16/2022 3:35pm Edited Date/Time 8/16/2022 3:58pm
I agree with others who focused on what Deegan said. Using "defame" is a very pointed threat coming from someone in Deegan's position with Deegan's experience. It's basically saying, "I will seize upon any pretext I can in any video you make about the bike to ruin your family financially." Because such a suit is likely to get settled out of court and the Schofields will be out their legal fees plus whatever they have to pay Deegan to leave them alone, plus the Schofields will have to sign an NDA. As someone on Vital said recently, deeper pockets tend to win litigation, not moral righteousness.

Deegan already knew who the Schofields were after Southwick, and someone in his camp just happens to have two Snapchats that Brennan allegedly posted about Haiden. It's really enormously creepy that the Deegans keep a catalog of intentionally ephemeral negative things that people they deal with post about them. It's also good business practice if you're in that business, though.

Or maybe fake said "evidence" in a hurry? It's clear, as others pointed out, that the on-track one has an overwritten prior caption. I can't make out the first part, but the last five overwritten words appear to be "battling with a C rider." That's insulting both Brennan (who rides B now and is a C champion at that) and Haiden, so no telling which direction the overwritten post came from (probably not Brennan's camp imo, tho). Maybe someone can decipher the rest?

Edit: Oh @#$&, I completely missed the legal thread on the threads page. My apologies, Vital.
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Hi Side
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8/16/2022 3:57pm
The two biggest shit bags in the whole deal in no particular order...Luce and Walker. I can just feel the deceit and dirty in both of them.
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erik_94COBRA
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8/16/2022 3:59pm
Can we somehow get MavTVPlus to livestream the interviews? Feels like that will add some needed frustration.
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DonM
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8/16/2022 4:00pm
JWW85 wrote:
This is ordeal has only affirmed my impressions of several of these parties. But, the more I think about it, is anyone going to interview Brennan's...
This is ordeal has only affirmed my impressions of several of these parties. But, the more I think about it, is anyone going to interview Brennan's dad? Or did I miss it somewhere in here?
DonM wrote:
Thank you! I have been asking about the dad from the very beginning and his lack of involvement until the very end…
aeffertz wrote:
It’s been addressed multiple times. He wasn’t back at their rig (he was getting water and Brennan’s mom was still at the track watch a friend...
It’s been addressed multiple times. He wasn’t back at their rig (he was getting water and Brennan’s mom was still at the track watch a friend race) when Brennan thought he needed to leave to make it to the office in time to make the claim. That’s how Harris got involved, he was there debriefing with Brennan and had a cart to give Brennan a ride up to the office trailer. That’s where the first weird/unnecessary interactions happened. The dad was present with the second interaction with Walker, Luce and the dealer.

Though it would be good to hear from him to see if he’ll say what the dealer told him in their private conversation. Perhaps that is one of the extra guests hinted at in part 3 of this.
I know what’s been said but is it plausible? Man I don’t know…I just question it that’s all…and now in Steve’s new video the kid say that the dad couldn’t find the trailer?
I’m just saying that if my son is about to claim Deegan’s bike that I believe that might take precedence over finding water to wash the bike when the kid is done racing for the week….Is there a chance that the dad didn’t know what the kid and the motor guy were doing? We’ll probably never know but something isn’t right here.
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APLMAN99
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8/16/2022 4:01pm
The Yamaha guy looked like he was being slightly less than truthful to me........

Matt Walker came off as a huge douche.

Brennan still comes off as the most credible of all the folks so far, might even seem like the only adult in the group (besides ML, of course!!!).
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aeffertz
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8/16/2022 4:05pm
DonM wrote:
I know what’s been said but is it plausible? Man I don’t know…I just question it that’s all…and now in Steve’s new video the kid say...
I know what’s been said but is it plausible? Man I don’t know…I just question it that’s all…and now in Steve’s new video the kid say that the dad couldn’t find the trailer?
I’m just saying that if my son is about to claim Deegan’s bike that I believe that might take precedence over finding water to wash the bike when the kid is done racing for the week….Is there a chance that the dad didn’t know what the kid and the motor guy were doing? We’ll probably never know but something isn’t right here.
In your hypothetical though, what difference does it make if the dad didn’t know what was happening or not?
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Racerx930
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8/16/2022 4:12pm Edited Date/Time 8/16/2022 4:16pm
In Matthes's video today he mentions saying the kids not being truthful on the Yamaha pulling the dealership thing. Yamaha probably never threatened the dealer but I find it highly likely that the dealer said something to the kid along the lines of "You're going to get my dealership pulled" etc. I don't know if it's something he came up with on his own or if Walker told him this kids going to get your bikes pulled etc. Cotter admitted that the kid said something along the lines of he was kind of forced into pulling the claim.

Steves only giving an opinion here, and it's one I 99% agree with. I just think his reads off on this particular part of it.

In all of this the only one who really comes off looking bad to me is Walker. I feel like he sold out the kid he was paid to watch over to industry pressure.
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ACBraap
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8/16/2022 4:15pm
57F1VE wrote:
Why not just make the claimant anonymous? Ama can change this in the rule. Then nobody knows who it is, and they can't be bullied or...
Why not just make the claimant anonymous? Ama can change this in the rule. Then nobody knows who it is, and they can't be bullied or persuaded.
That's a perfectly logical change to the rules that would be a welcome improvement. So it'll never happen.
8/16/2022 4:17pm
Vet145 wrote:
Great job ML getting everyone's side of things. I too believe the kid should have gotten the bike, as per the AMA rule. My biggest takeaway...
Great job ML getting everyone's side of things. I too believe the kid should have gotten the bike, as per the AMA rule.

My biggest takeaway is the 2 GYTR motors from Yamaha. The explanation from Walker on how that went down was as if "Nothing to see here", just a USA Yamaha rep offering up 2 crate motors to some mid pack amateur B rider at the largest amateur motocross race in the world, who happened to try to claim a "Factory" Yamaha bike.

I'm sure that the Canadian dealership putting pressure on dad to drop the claim might of had something to do with it...now we see how much that helped with their continued sponsorship. But while dad was away "Saving" their relationship with the dealer, all of a sudden the 17 year old now has 2 crate motors coming their way from a sit down meeting with a Yamaha factory rep?

And after all the commotion in Walkers pit; near fights, free motors and ride days at the Goat Farm; its all Kumbayah, the claim is dropped as is Brennan from MotoX and his primary sponsor, who both happened to be involved from the get go and got the results they desired.

Brennan got hosed on this deal, even if his motor builder put up the cash. He would've been better off getting the bike and throwing the finger out the window as they left Loretta's...
I agree, Yamaha giving the kid 2 motors because it's "the right thing to do" is a LIE.
Cotter claiming that the conversation between Deegan and Brennan was a NICE little chat is also bullshit.
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Martie708
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8/16/2022 4:18pm
I'll try this again. Everyone should go by the rules.That being said I think the AMA should do away with claiming rules. If you want to protest and put money up for a teardown because you feel the rules are being broken I think is good enough. The big problem here is the big pissing contest going on over who has the best bike. There is a whole lot of things out there to make them better and a whole lot of money can be spent quickly. So if it's a class that allows mods, no one should be able to protest unless it's something outside of the set rules. I understand that it sucks to line up against a pro factory machine and maybe I have a small percentage of mods compared. That's where I feel when the riders get to the level of these riders put them on basically stock machines and everyone gets a fair chance. The best riders will show. I realize and understand everyone is looking for that edge but most of the time money really can't buy that.
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TXDirt
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8/16/2022 4:22pm
Martie708 wrote:
I'll try this again. Everyone should go by the rules.That being said I think the AMA should do away with claiming rules. If you want to...
I'll try this again. Everyone should go by the rules.That being said I think the AMA should do away with claiming rules. If you want to protest and put money up for a teardown because you feel the rules are being broken I think is good enough. The big problem here is the big pissing contest going on over who has the best bike. There is a whole lot of things out there to make them better and a whole lot of money can be spent quickly. So if it's a class that allows mods, no one should be able to protest unless it's something outside of the set rules. I understand that it sucks to line up against a pro factory machine and maybe I have a small percentage of mods compared. That's where I feel when the riders get to the level of these riders put them on basically stock machines and everyone gets a fair chance. The best riders will show. I realize and understand everyone is looking for that edge but most of the time money really can't buy that.
Why do away with the claiming rule?

Do the opposite. Make it easier to make a claim.

Hold teams accountable.

2x msrp if in same class
3x msrp if not in same class

Anyone can claim any bike at Loretta’s. That should be the rule.

Stop with these factory children on $50,000 factory bikes.

We need more claims. Not less.
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8/16/2022 4:25pm
APLMAN99 wrote:
The Yamaha guy looked like he was being slightly less than truthful to me........ Matt Walker came off as a huge douche. Brennan still comes off...
The Yamaha guy looked like he was being slightly less than truthful to me........

Matt Walker came off as a huge douche.

Brennan still comes off as the most credible of all the folks so far, might even seem like the only adult in the group (besides ML, of course!!!).
I agree with this 100%
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Press516
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8/16/2022 4:28pm
Martie708 wrote:
I'll try this again. Everyone should go by the rules.That being said I think the AMA should do away with claiming rules. If you want to...
I'll try this again. Everyone should go by the rules.That being said I think the AMA should do away with claiming rules. If you want to protest and put money up for a teardown because you feel the rules are being broken I think is good enough. The big problem here is the big pissing contest going on over who has the best bike. There is a whole lot of things out there to make them better and a whole lot of money can be spent quickly. So if it's a class that allows mods, no one should be able to protest unless it's something outside of the set rules. I understand that it sucks to line up against a pro factory machine and maybe I have a small percentage of mods compared. That's where I feel when the riders get to the level of these riders put them on basically stock machines and everyone gets a fair chance. The best riders will show. I realize and understand everyone is looking for that edge but most of the time money really can't buy that.
Trying again on a brand new account??

No, it's amateur racing. It should be about the riders, not so much the bikes. The intent is to not have a $50,000 bike on the line against bikes with a pile of bolt on's. It makes a ton of sense to the vast majority of us. If someone goes nuts and puts one of those high buck rides out there, they risk losing it. It's a GREAT rule.

The fact that the kid was coerced out of the claim means other rules were broken, it's as simple as that. The AMA just doesn't have the balls to enforce the rules. It's a shit show...
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Jack_Wagon
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8/16/2022 4:32pm Edited Date/Time 8/16/2022 7:16pm
I haven't watched or read a single interview, but by reading through the comments I'm going to guess it went down something like this.

Harris and Brennan conspired to claim Deegan's bike.

Harris called to find out the correct procedure for making a claim.

Harris put up the money. He's an engine builder. Seeing what's in a factory engine would net him tons of business from every Yamaha owner looking for a fast motor.

Claim was made.

Shitstorm ensued.

Star finagled the bike away from impound before Schoolboy2 final Moto and changed the engine.

Edit: When Brennan, dad, and Harris realized that the plan wasn't going as smooth as anticipated they collectively agreed to cancel the claim.
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8/16/2022 4:37pm
Jack_Wagon wrote:
I haven't watched or read a single interview, but by reading through the comments I'm going to guess it went down something like this. Harris and...
I haven't watched or read a single interview, but by reading through the comments I'm going to guess it went down something like this.

Harris and Brennan conspired to claim Deegan's bike.

Harris called to find out the correct procedure for making a claim.

Harris put up the money. He's an engine builder. Seeing what's in a factory engine would net him tons of business from every Yamaha owner looking for a fast motor.

Claim was made.

Shitstorm ensued.

Star finagled the bike away from impound before Schoolboy2 final Moto and changed the engine.

Edit: When Brennan, dad, and Harris realized that the plan wasn't going as smooth as anticipated they collectively agreed to cancel the claim.
I think you need to go watch the interviews, because I don't believe that's what happened.
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MX690
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8/16/2022 4:48pm
Jack_Wagon wrote:
I haven't watched or read a single interview, but by reading through the comments I'm going to guess it went down something like this. Harris and...
I haven't watched or read a single interview, but by reading through the comments I'm going to guess it went down something like this.

Harris and Brennan conspired to claim Deegan's bike.

Harris called to find out the correct procedure for making a claim.

Harris put up the money. He's an engine builder. Seeing what's in a factory engine would net him tons of business from every Yamaha owner looking for a fast motor.

Claim was made.

Shitstorm ensued.

Star finagled the bike away from impound before Schoolboy2 final Moto and changed the engine.

Edit: When Brennan, dad, and Harris realized that the plan wasn't going as smooth as anticipated they collectively agreed to cancel the claim.
No if the claim had of gone ahead they still would have gotten the factory engine. They would have gotten everything that was on that bike when the claim was made.
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8tensolutions
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8/16/2022 5:08pm
Jack_Wagon wrote:
I haven't watched or read a single interview, but by reading through the comments I'm going to guess it went down something like this. Harris and...
I haven't watched or read a single interview, but by reading through the comments I'm going to guess it went down something like this.

Harris and Brennan conspired to claim Deegan's bike.

Harris called to find out the correct procedure for making a claim.

Harris put up the money. He's an engine builder. Seeing what's in a factory engine would net him tons of business from every Yamaha owner looking for a fast motor.

Claim was made.

Shitstorm ensued.

Star finagled the bike away from impound before Schoolboy2 final Moto and changed the engine.

Edit: When Brennan, dad, and Harris realized that the plan wasn't going as smooth as anticipated they collectively agreed to cancel the claim.
This is wrong in nearly every way. Maybe watch the interviews.
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SEEMEFIRST
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8/16/2022 5:10pm
Plus whatever they put in it later.
ML512
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8/16/2022 5:10pm
Part three with the sponsor is up.
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Bow977
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8/16/2022 5:35pm
Hopefully the rule is the same next year, I want to claim a great bike that is worth way more than 17k. That’s what this is all about right? All the he said she said bs and the shit talking is irrelevant
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8/16/2022 5:38pm
APLMAN99 wrote:
The Yamaha guy looked like he was being slightly less than truthful to me........ Matt Walker came off as a huge douche. Brennan still comes off...
The Yamaha guy looked like he was being slightly less than truthful to me........

Matt Walker came off as a huge douche.

Brennan still comes off as the most credible of all the folks so far, might even seem like the only adult in the group (besides ML, of course!!!).
Donnie Luce sounded scared shitless on the pulp interview
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8/16/2022 5:44pm
At 1:56:26 in the first video, Burkeen lays out his reasoning for bribing a minor to be 100% within the spirit of the rules.

https://youtu.be/wnwtP0x6fe0

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